The Office of Personnel Management just released its “merit-based hiring plan” for federal workers. The plan, among other things, directs agencies to end racial quotas and preferences in the hiring process.  A process that will require applicants to submit essays about patriotism and President Trump’s executive orders.

It’s a pretty darn good idea, and is long overdue as many of us know someone who, despite being immediately qualified for a position (rather than qualified for training), was overlooked due not being in the favored group du jour.  Still, I wonder if it can be reinforced.

Page ten of this OPM memorandum addressed to heads of departments and agencies includes “four short, free-response essay questions” to be included with job vacancy announcements.  For brevity sake, I’m including only the first sentence from each (see link above for verbose version):

• How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? 
• In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? 
• How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? 
• How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? 

It’s all good, so no point in being too nitpicky here.  However, AI-enabled cheating is rampant in colleges to the extent that many professors are using oral exams.  I truly hope they have robust AI detection software, but, as backup, here’s a suggestion:

If a candidate’s total score (including their essay responses) qualifies them for an advanced oral interview, then the merit-based imperative should persist through hiring and onboarding. H.R. can develop a list of relevant questions that affirm an applicant’s commitment to meritocracy.  Hiring managers will have some discretion, but must choose at least two from a longer list.  Here’re several possibilities (far from exhaustive):

• If you discover that a colleague is not working assiduously, how will you deal with it?
• How will you contribute to a merit-based ethos in our organization?
• How do you define reverse discrimination?
• If you discover that your job has become superfluous due to AI or other exogenous events, what action will you take?
• Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s ruling on Affirmative Action?
• What heritage month would you do away with?  Why?
• What is the greatest country in the world?  Why?
• Compare and contrast equality and equity.
• Do you adhere to principles of the 1619 Project or the 1776 Commission?
• Which president would you add to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial?
• What does DOGE stand for?  How will you support it?
• Should workers enjoy the fruits of their labor irrespective of their immutable attributes?
• What are your biases?

For their protection as well as the employer’s, I recommend that managers inform candidates that their responses are being recorded (here are some guidelines) but will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Merit-based hiring!  Who’d ever thought we even need to have this discussion?  Let’s proceed wholeheartedly on this.  It’s time the hiring pendulum swings back to equilibrium from its leftist amplitude.  Our society has been liberally dumbed-down, so MAGA requires this.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.